Police shoot, kill tanning salon robbery suspect in South Daytona

Authorities are investigating a shooting in South Daytona where officers shot and killed a man trying to rob a tanning salon.

SOUTH DAYTONA, Fla. -

Authorities are investigating a shooting in South Daytona in which officers shot and killed a man trying to rob a tanning salon.

According to authorities, South Daytona Police Department and Daytona Beach Police Department officers were responding to a silent alarm call on Beville Road at the Hot Tans salon just before 4 p.m. and found the doors to the salon locked during business hours.

Two officers went to the back of the business and the others stayed by the front door when the victim ran out of the front door, followed by a man, later identified as Cheyene Russell Pinkney, 28, of Ponte Vedra, armed with a weapon, police said.

When Pinkney spotted officers, he ran out of the back door and came into contact with a South Daytona police officer and a Daytona Beach police officer, officials said.

"When the suspect saw the police he proceeded to run out the back door with the gun in his hands and there were several shots fired," said Jimmie Flynt, of Daytona Beach police. "The suspect was hit, not sure how many times."

The officers fired at Pinkney, and he was taken to Halifax Hospital. Pinkney died at the hospital. No officers were injured, police said.

It's not clear if it was a verbal or physical threat that prompted police to shoot Pinkney, who was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of armed robbery in 2007.

"It's dangerous, it's very dangerous because you don't look for anything to happen over here," said Pamela Watson, who runs a nearby business.

Lt. Daniel Dietrich, with the South Daytona Police Department, told Local 6, "It is something that every officer fears, to shoot and kill somebody. No one wants that to happen ever, however, the officer has to go home at the end of the night and if you're going to threaten an officer you're going to be met with the same type of force."

Meanwhile, business owners like Watson want to be sure they are safe.

"With me being a business owner, and I'm in there sometimes by myself, that scares me," said Watson.

Witnesses at the tanning salon told Local 6 the female salon owner may have been assaulted by the suspect and that the woman was evaluated at a hospital.

The names of the two officers involved in the shooting have not been released and Florida Department of Law Enforcement will investigate.

Police said the South Daytona officer has been on the job for about a year.

Per normal procedure during shootings, the officers were placed on paid administrative leave.

Copyright 2014 by ClickOrlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Comments

The views expressed are not those of clickorlando.com, WKMG or its affiliated companies. This is a community moderated forum (Please note the 'Flag' button). By posting your comments you agree to accept our Terms Of service